


Frostbite

by MellowCherryBlossom



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Cuddles, F/F, Horror, Mutual Pining, Wilderness, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-03-06 11:09:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18849865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MellowCherryBlossom/pseuds/MellowCherryBlossom
Summary: Trapped in a snowstorm, Amaya and Janai are forced to take refuge in an abandoned cabin to wait out the storm. But little do they know, a creature lurking on the edge of the forest knows they are there. And it is hungry.





	Frostbite

**Author's Note:**

> I know that this is a small ship but after seeing some art of the two of them on Tumblr I just really wanted to write a fic about the two of them.

Amaya and Janai slugged through the harsh snow, vision obscured by the flecks that blurred past them, the freezing winter wind bit at them. It was freezing cold that they could feel deep under their skin and to the bones.

 _‘We’re going to die out here,’_ Amaya bleakly thought as they struggled through the crunch of snow, feeling their legs go deeper into the snow with each step.

With a tap on her shoulder, Amaya looked back at her Sun Elf companion, watching the wind whip her dark red hair and tunic wildly. Her finger pointed towards in the dark at something. Amaya turned her head and gazed into the darkness, trying to look past the darkness that blurred her vision and spotting a pin of light off in the distance.

Nodding her head in silent agreement the two continued their slog through the snow until they reached the cabin door. Amaya’s hand coming up and pounding the door with her fist and waiting before doing so again, fierce winds whipping around them and throwing snow everywhere. Amaya pushed at the door.

_‘It’s unlocked.’_

Amaya fell through the door with Janai close behind her before struggling with the door to close it. Once it was closed, she turned and looked around the cabin. A single bed was off in the far side, to her left was a fireplace with two comfy looking chairs placed in front of it and firewood piled neatly nearby. A table was placed in the middle of the room and a doorway to the right of it, assumedly, led to a kitchen. Small, but it was shelter.

She could see Janai saying something, but it was not directed at her. She was facing away from her before turning towards Amaya and frowning. The general shrugged and took a step deeper into the cabin, stomping her feet to shake some of the snow from her body before Janai stopped her and pointed at the lit lantern by the window.

“Wait,” she said,  raised her hands to sign the words, “it doesn’t seem like this place has been touched in months.”

“So it’s abandoned.” Amaya signed back. “So what?”

“If it is, why is a lantern lit by the window?” Janai asked her.

Amaya thought for a second before she sighed, looking out that window the storm was still brewing as harsh as ever, and wasn’t looking to stop soon either.“Would you rather we go back out into that stormy weather to find a properly abandoned cabin?”

“No.”

“Then I don’t see what’s the problem.”

“The problem is what if someone comes back?”

Amaya raised an eyebrow at her before looking around. The cabin really did seem abandoned for months, dust coated everything, various items littered the ground, and the bed unmade. “Do you really think someone is going to come back?”

“Maybe? We better be prepared if they do..”

Amaya sighed as she thought carefully, “I’m sure if we explain our situation to them they would be more than happy to let us stay.”

Amaya watched Janai heave her own sigh, hand twitching before simply signing. “Fine.”

Amaya smiled slightly before returning to her blank slate and moving to the fireplace and tossing some of the firewood in before searching for something to light it with.

Janai simply rolled her eyes before reaching down to her sun forged blade and drawing it slowly, Amaya’s eyed her as she approached the fireplace and stuck the tip of her sword in for a second before the wood began smoking. A minute later, fire blazed to life from within the fireplace and Janai returned the sword to its sheath.

“Why does it seem like everyone with one of those draws it so slowly?” Amaya asked her once she had her attention.

“When we’re given these we have to take a safety course which is a ton of horror stories about idiots drawing their sword to quickly and hurting, or sometimes killing, one of their allies. After that, I was told draw it slowly and make sure I had at least five feet of clearing before I did so.”

Amaya blinked at her nodding her head. “That’s smart.”

“Well, when you carry something this hot you have to be.” She signed back, “but will you make us something. I’m starving.”

Amaya gave a thumbs up before turning and walking into the kitchen to scout out what they had to work with.

 _‘Fresh ingredients? This is odd.’_ she thought before looking at the stove and sighing. _‘Woodfire.’_

When she realized she needed Janai she began making noise, banging her hand on the counter top, hitting some of the pots and pans with her armor, and doing whatever she could to attract Janai’s attention.

“What?!” Janai shouted, knowing the other woman couldn’t hear her. “Why are you making so much noise?!”

Amaya simply smirked and pointed at the stove.

Janai sighed and grabbed her sword hilt, drawing it and slid the tip into the stove until the fire lit. “There.” She said before sheathing it, “anything else?”

Amaya shook her head gently and watched Janai leave before turning to all the ingredients she had and tapping her chin lightly.

As Amaya prepared a meal she looked out the kitchen window at the snow flying around. Despite the fact the cabin protected them, it was still cold. She quickly turned her attention back to cooking.

Once the stew finished she removed the pot from the stove and some bowls from the cupboard and moved towards the table. Before she left the kitchen she spotted something from the corner of her eye. Out in the darkness, just barely inside of her field of vision, she saw a dark figure moving within the darkness, two glowing eyes staring back at her before shifting into the darkness and vanishing.

Amaya shook her head before walking back to the table. She must be imagining things. There was no way something could be out there, right? Shaking her head once more she walked to the other room and set the pot on the table and the two bowls, drawing Janai’s attention.

“Stew?” She signed.

“Yes. I wasn’t sure what else to make. But I did find something that makes me happy!”

“What?” Janai asked as she took one of the seats and piled her bowl high with broth, veggies, and meats.

Amaya shimmied around happily before reaching behind her back and revealing two loaves of bread.

“Bread?” Janai asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes,” Amaya signed once she put one loaf in front of each of them.

“I never understood human’s obsession with bread,” Janai admitted as she took the loaf and broke a bit of it, dipping it into her soup and eating it.

“It’s delicious.” Amaya defended, mimicking Janai. “What, do elves not eat bread?”

“Of course we eat bread! We just aren’t as obsessed with it as humans are.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am very sure.”

“Bread is really good you know.”

Janai pinched the bridge of her nose as Amaya laughed, “Yes, I know it is good. I like bread. But I am not obsessed with it. Somedays I wonder if humans have a holiday celebrating bread.”

“We do.”

Janai blinked before looking at Amaya with disbelief. “Really?”

“No,” Amaya shrugged, “or at least none that I know of.”

Janai rolled her eyes before diverting her attention back to her meal.

After a few moments, Amaya licked her lips, looking back at the kitchen thinking about what she saw from the window. She debated telling Janai about it, on one hand, if there was something out there she wanted to make sure Janai was ready for it. On the other hand, if there wasn’t something out there, she would likely make a fool of herself and Janai would never let her forget the time she got scared because they were trapped in a storm.

Deciding that humiliation was better than possibly dying Amaya tapped the table a few times to get Janai’s attention.

Janai looked up opening her mouth to say something before noting the seriousness on Amaya’s face. Closing her mouth she gave her hands a small shake before signing. “Is something the matter?”

“Yes, I…” She started, stopping as she clenched and unclenched her hand. Her way of processing what she wanted to say. “When I was cooking I glanced out the window and saw something.”

Janai raised her eyebrow and stared deadpan at Amaya, “Yeah. You probably saw the storm that's going on.”

Amaya shook her head before continuing. “I saw something out there. Big, moving, glowing eyes.”

“This sounds like a monster from a children's book.”

“I’m serious Janai,” She said, having to spell out the woman's name did put a smile on the Elf’s face before frowning. Why was saying--signing--her name making her happy?

Ignoring her feelings Janai continued, “Are you sure? We’ve been traveling for a long time with little rest. Are you sure you’re not hallucinating?”

Amaya had a fierce look in her eye before it faltered.

Janai reached out and placed her hand on her shoulder. “Get some rest. Some proper rest, Amaya.” She spoke, knowing the general could read her lips, “the storm doesn’t seem like it’s going to die down for a while.”

Amaya held her hands up before dropping them and nodding. Placing the last piece of her bread into her mouth she began to remove her armor.

Janai moved to assist Amaya removed her armor, revealing a simple dark blue shirt and black pants under all that heavy armor.

Once Amaya removed her armor and had it neatly stacked she looked over at Janai, smirking as she caught the sun elf turn their head to look away and out the window to watch the sunset. Amaya knocked on the headboard of the bed to get Janai’s attention. “Where will you sleep?”

Janai shrugged and pointed at the two seats by the fireplace and the ground.

 _‘The chairs or the ground.’_ Amaya thought before nodding her head.

“I would recommend the chairs. The floor looks cold.” she signed before crawling under the covers and closing her eyes.

Janai looked at the dim sky, realizing the sun was dipping beneath the mountains as the light faded. Reaching her hands out towards the fireplace to warm them, she watched the fire for a moment before it leaped through the air and into her hand. She closed them to smother the fire. Now bathed in darkness Janai sighed softly before taking a seat on one of the comfy chairs, feeling herself sink into it as she closed her eyes, drifting off herself to the sound of the wind blowing outside.

Amaya could not sleep. Not because she feared there was something watching them, but because she was really cold! Her teeth chattered and body shivered as wrapping herself in the blankets did little to fight off the cold. Looking up from the blankets she stared at Janai through the darkness, unsure of how the Sun Elf was sleeping on a chair with icy winds blowing. She really was beautiful when sleeping, lips slightly part as she took slow deep breaths. Her face soft and relaxed almost seemed alien to her normal sternness.

Admiring her partner could come later. Right now she just wanted some semblance of warmth and sharing her bed was the best idea that came to her. So, with blankets wrapped around her, she stepped onto the cold wooden floor and tip-toed her way to Janai, looking down at her for a brief moment before tapping the chair slightly.

Almost immediately after her hand came in contact with the chair did Janai jolt awake, looking through the darkness before her eyes landed on Amaya.

“What?” she asked.

Amaya brought her hands up, balled in a fist with her thumbs facing upward and shook them. Janai wasn’t sure if she was trying to sign ‘cold’ to her or if she was really actually cold. _‘Probably both,’_ Janai though, resisting the urge to smack her forehead.

“What do you want me to do about that?” She asked.

Amaya crossed her arms across her chest and twisted left to right slightly.

“I’m sorry what?” Janai said, looking at Amaya with disbelief.

Amaya frowned before doing the motion again.

“You really want me to cuddle you? Are you five?”

Amaya frowned at her before shaking her head, “No. Cold.”

Janai sighed and rolled her eyes. A moment passed before Janai said anything before nodding her head. “Fine.”

Amaya smiled and happily made her way back to the bed, flopping down onto it and opening her blanket.

Janai walked over to the bed, eyeing Amaya slightly before crawling into bed and laying down. Almost immediately Amaya wrapped the blanket around her and pulled her close, sighing in content as she warmed herself with Janai. The Sun Elf could only roll her eyes as she closed them and fell back to sleep.

In the morning Janai didn’t feel Amaya or the blanket wrapped around her. Looking over she could see Amaya sprawled out on the bed, snoring gently.

Janai sighed before getting up from the bed, trying her hardest not to awake Amaya, and walking to the window. It was still dark out, but that was most likely from the dark storm clouds that still covered the sky. The storm hadn’t passed through the night. It didn’t even look like it was calming. Snow still whipped around and the howling wind could still be heard.

Janai sighed as she turned to look at the pot left out, she saw something in the corner of her eye. The same thing that Amaya described, a dark figure moving through the darkness, glowing eyes set on Janai. A wolf? No, the dark figure was too large and humanoid to be a wolf. Through the darkness, Janai could barely make out a silhouette of the creature. Tall, long arms. Long legs. Horns.

Janai tried to observe more of it, but somehow it realized she was watching it as well, it darted back into the shadows and vanished. But now Janai knew something was there. With a shiver, she walked to Amaya and shook her awake. The general jolting awake and looking up at Janai with confusion.

“You were right,” Janai said.

“What?” Amaya signed before yawning and rubbing her eyes.

“Yesterday you said you saw something. I saw it too. Just now.” Janai told her.

“What did you see?”

“Tall. Long arms, long legs. Horns.” Janai listed, “Bipedal.”

“Do you know what it is?” Amaya asked while standing.

“No,” Janai admitted, “It bolted before I could get a better look at it.”

Amaya paused and processed what Janai said before signing. “Wait, a better look at it? And you could describe what it looks like? All I saw was something moving in the dark and glowing eyes.”

“Oh no,” Janai said, “It’s getting closer.”

Amaya and Janai looked at each other for a moment, a silent agreement shared between the two of them as Amaya began donning her armor and Janai checked her equipment.

Once they were armed they looked over each other once again, eyes locked before Amaya took to the door and opened it. The two of them waded back into the snowy depths to find the creature.

Janai led her and Amaya to where she saw the creature. It was long gone, but Janai wasn’t looking for it exactly. No. What she was looking for were tracks. And tracks she did find. Large hoof prints in the snow. Turning to look at Amaya, the woman had her shield out and at the ready, she signed to her. “Tracks. Follow?”

Amaya nodded her head, looking down at the tracks that lead deeper into the forest the two followed them, spotting claw marks on trees, broken branches, and crushed pine cones. As they followed, they spotted an opening. Looking at each other before nodding Janai drew her blade, the hot blade melting the snow around it to vapor instantly. Amaya held up three fingers and counted down.

3…

2…

1…

The two broke from the clearing, finding that the creature they were dealing with was clearly smarter than they had anticipated. Multiple tracks spanning from the center of the clearing and led into the woods. The two lowered their weapons, looking at the tracks that could lead anywhere.

Amaya placed the shield onto her back and looked at Janai.

“Now what?”

“We can’t do much now.” Janai signed, “too many tracks, could lead us anywhere. Might lead us to its cave, its water pond, or nowhere.”

“Nowhere? Why would it leave tracks to nowhere?”

Janai breathed heavily, “I think it’s an intelligent creature… to an extent. Leaves tracks that lead to nowhere as a way to throw off anyone that trying to follow it.”

Amaya looked up at the dark sky, seemingly endless snow falling from the dark clouds above.

“Back to the cabin then?” Amaya suggested, “we can’t track it, or we can try to, but who knows where these tracks lead to.”

Janai looked at Amaya before nodding.

They made their way back through the snow, Amaya kept looking back behind them as Janai lead. She could feel the eyes of the creature on her back. Hoping that it would try and strike them as they left so that they could kill it. But it never came, and when they entered the cabin they closed the door behind them. Their hunt was over.

The two looked at each other in silence before Amaya placed her shield down and leaned it against the wall, “I’ll reheat the stew. Can you light the stove again?” She asked.

Janai nodded, walking into the kitchen and using her sword to ignite the fire, eyes narrowed at how little wood remained. Turning to tell Amaya that they would need to find more, she saw the woman was already at the door. The pot of cold stew in one hand and some firewood in the other. Janai nodded before moving out of her way so she could reheat the food.

After the pot was placed back on the table and their bowls filled with food, Janai grabbed Amaya’s attention. “The beast will be back,” She told her.

“When?” Amaya signed.

“Tonight, when we are asleep and vulnerable.”

“Then let us take a  nap after our meal and then we’ll be ready by nightfall.”

Janai nodded her head before continuing. “Agreed, but we should play it safe, take turns on a watch shift for it. In case it sees--or tries to make--an opportunity to attack us.”

“So, who should sleep first?” Janai asked.

“You.”

She nodded her head, and once her meal was finished she crawled into the bed to sleep, knowing that Amaya would wake her.

The human watched her partner crawl into the bed and drift off. Once she was certain Janai was asleep she moved to the window, looking out of it and keeping watch for the monster.

Everything was silent. Amaya dutifully kept watch, walking back and forth from the window in the main room to the one in the kitchen. Her eyes scanning the edge of the forest for the glowing eyes of the creature, daring it to show its ugly face so that she could kill it.

As time went on, Amaya could only assume it was almost sunset. The creature had yet to show its face and Amaya needed--wanted--a nap. Taking one last glance at the forest she moved over to Janai, gently tapping the headboard to wake the elf.

The other woman yawned and stood from the bed, grabbed her sword as the other took to the bed.

At first, everything was quiet on Janai’s watch, the elf almost assuming that the creature had left them. As the hours ticked by Janai gently moved to Amaya, gently tapping her on the shoulder and jolting her awake.

“It doesn’t seem like-”

At that moment the sound of shattering glass broke Janai’s train of thought. Instantly, she felt a sharp pain before the wind was knocked out of her. The beast batted her aside before setting sights on the other woman.

Janai greedily inhaled whatever air she could get. Body aching. Mind foggy. The stench of rotting meat and death hung in the air. The beast gave a hideous cry, and through her blurred vision, she could see something clutched in the claws of the creature.

No. Someone.

Amaya.

Janai forced herself past the pain. Standing and drawing her sword, the blazing blade hissing in the cold air, Janai focused her vision on the beast. Watching it lift the struggling Amaya in its hand towards its mouth. She lunged forward. Sword held high before bringing it down.

The blade caught on something, and the creature let out a cry of anguish. Janai gripped the sword in a death grip, forcing the blade to keep moving before it fell free.

The beast took a step back, howls of pain emanating from its toothy maw as it gripped at its own arm. Through her hazed vision, Janai could see where the creature's hand was now reduced to a stump. The wound had already cauterized from the intense heat of her sword.

Amaya pried herself free of the creatures clawed hand, rolling over to where her shield was leaning against the wall grabbing it and lifting it, she turned towards the beast. She could see it raise its other clawed hand, murderous zeal in its eyes as it brought its claw down onto Janai. Or it would have, had Amaya not been so fast. Thrusting her shield out in front of the beast’s attack and protected Janai.

The creature roared once more, and the two warriors got their first good look at the monster. Gray and ashy skin, taut against its bones and bloodied, mangled fur-coated bull like legs. Deer like antlers grew from the top of its head.

The time to size up their opponent was over. In the midst of its roar, a mix of animal and human, it bared down at them again, raising its clawed hand and bringing it down onto Amaya’s shield again. The force of the impact sent Amaya to her knees, gasping as she tried to hold off the attack.

Janai lashed out with her sword, the blade slashing a shallow cut on the back of the beast’s hand. It reeled back again before swiping with its claws, knocking Amaya to the side as it closed in on Janai. It went to raise its fist to bring down on Janai, but the attack never came.

Taking a moment to look, Janai saw the creature’s hand pinned by Amaya’s shield, the metal edge buried into the wooden floor. Her grip tightened in her grasp as she brought the blade across the monster's stomach.

The monster struggled with the shield for a moment before ripping its arm free. Raising its clawed hand it lashed out again at Janai. At the same time, the sun elf twisted her blade, ready for the creature to attack before thrusting upward. Her sword pierced the beast through the ribs and buried her blade to the hilt.

The beast gave a final roar in agony, stumbling forward before collapsing to the floor. Its body dissolved into a shower of snow that coated the floor. Janai’s blade clattered to the ground and the woman rushed to it, fearing the heat would surely ignite the cabin.

Janai clutched the sword, panting slightly from their fight. Whatever the creature that had been hunting them, they had triumphed over. Amaya stood from her position, clutching the side of her ribcage as she steadied herself with her shield. It was still cold, the freezing winds blew through the broken window.

The storm suddenly abated. The wild winds died to a soft breeze and the endless flurries of snow subsidized to a gentle falling of snow.

With soft sighs, the two looked at each other. Janai crossed the distance in three steps before embracing Amaya. The other woman breath came in short, quick pants but she still managed to wrap one arm around her.

Their victory was short lived. With the window broken the two would have to close the shutters to ward off the cold. A question still burned in Janai’s mind.

_‘Who lit the lantern?’_

Was it the monster? It seemed intelligent enough, but she wouldn’t credit it smart enough to set up bait like that. Perhaps someone did live in the cabin and the monster had gotten to them before they had shown up? Or perhaps something else. Janai searched the rubble for a diary, or a journal of sorts, unfortunately, nothing turned up.

Once morning arrived, the two women were able to leave the cabin, and leave the mystery behind. They both hoped that whatever awaited them on their mission would not compare to that.


End file.
